The UFC Heavyweight division is unique because it is the only division where fighters can earn title shots after a relatively small number of consecutive wins. Aside from Ruslan Magomedov and Matt Mitrione (and possibly Stipe Miocic), all of the fighters in the top 15 have either been champion or already fought for the title – except Alistair Overeem. While he’s held three titles in different promotions, he has – until recently – performed short of expectations.
He looked absolutely unstoppable in his UFC debut, where he demolished Brock Lesnar with a vicious liver kick and follow-up punches. His performance had many fans screaming for a title shot, and he was booked to face then champion Junior dos Santos at UFC 146 for the Heavyweight title. However, to the dismay of the UFC and to MMA fans around the world, Overeem tested positive for elevated testosterone levels, and the fight was canceled. Overeem and his lawyer appealed, but the NSAC denied his appeal and handed him a nine month suspension. This was the beginning of the end for Overeem’s title aspirations – until now.
Following the failed drug test, Overeem was flattened by a spectacular flurry of punches from Bigfoot Silva at UFC 156. He would go on to suffer another knockout defeat in a fight he was dominating, before Travis Browne ended his night with a front kick and a monstrous hammerfist. He would go on to defeat Frank Mir in a drubbing, but suffered another KO defeat to Ben Rothwell after being clipped behind the ear from a Rothwell right hand. At this point, his future was uncertain and many journalists deemed “The Reem” to be one of the biggest busts the UFC had signed to date.
Fast forward to today, December 22 2015, and Overeem is on a three-fight win streak. He pounded out Stefan Struve, battered Roy Nelson nearly to death (Nelson has quite possibly the best chin in MMA), and then knocked out dos Santos with a beautiful left hook that landed flush on the chin, before finishing him with several hammerfists.
Under “normal” circumstances, a three-fight win streak would not necessarily be enough to warrant a shot at the UFC title – a belt reserved for the “baddest man on the planet,” but these are not normal circumstances. Let us take a look at what makes Overeem a deserving challenger to Fabricio Werdum’s title.
First and foremost, he just knocked out the #2 ranked heavyweight – and former champion – of the UFC. He came in about 20 lbs light for the fight on UFC on Fox 17, which he co-headlined. Joe Rogan commented on his weight, noting that Alistair has gassed out in his previous fights, and his lighter weight might very well be a result of him focusing on cardio and endurance. “The Reem” normally outsizes his opponents, standing at 6’5″ and weighing as much as 265 lbs on fight night. However, being bigger and stronger has not always paid off, as his endurance has suffered in later rounds, leading to several upset losses on his record. He probably realized that he carries enough muscle mass to fend off takedowns and keep the fight standing, where he is known for his devastating striking skills. He is, after all, a former K1 Grand Prix champion, a notable feather in his cap for the seasoned Dutch striker.
Secondly, Overeem fought a perfectly technical fight – he came in as the +300 underdog, and he was able to avoid Junior’s renowned boxing skills, parrying his jabs and evading his respected right hand shots. He traded several kicks with JDS, but looked completely unharmed post-fight, wearing almost no damage to his face. Against a striker of Junior’s caliber, that is no small feat – even Cain Velasquez suffered more punishment in his two rematches with JDS. Overeem stayed patient, circling out of danger and countering dos Santos’ punches with perfectly timed kicks to the legs and body. His left body kick from the southpaw stance is one of his most dangerous weapons, along with his knees from the clinch. He was able to land several body kicks on Junior, which I believe set up his left hook. He landed the left hook in the first round by feinting the lead right hook and stepping outside of Junior’s lead leg. The strike may have broken Junior’s nose, and clearly stunned the Brazilian as he continued to look to land his powerful overhand right. He landed the front leg side kick, which hyperextended Junior’s knee – one of the trademarks of Jackson-Winkeljohn trained fighters. His kicks set up his hands, and he mixed his striking up superbly – feinting the right hand and coming around with the left hook. He landed this punch combination on three separate occasions, and each time he appeared to have dos Santos hurt. Overall, he fought an extremely technical fight and had an excellent performance on Saturday night.
Third, the story behind Overeem’s career makes this a compelling fight for the fans. He’s had his ups and downs, looking unstoppable against Lesnar, faltering to several fighters in the top 10, before making a career resurgence and looking better than he’s ever looked. He’s on a three-fight win streak as I mentioned before, making him one of only three fighters in the top 10 to have that many consecutive wins. Ben Rothwell, who is ranked #9, is also on a 3 fight win streak, but against lesser competition. Andrei Arlovski is the only other option, but he is already scheduled to face Stipe Miocic as the co-main event at UFC 195.
Overeem is also the last man to defeat incumbent champion Fabricio Werdum, and it makes for an especially intriguing stylistic matchup. He possesses the takedown defense necessary to avoid Werdum’s vaunted ground game, and has the striking skills to challenge Fabricio should the fight remain standing. It’s a compelling storyline, and he’s earned it. Dana White, Sean Shelby and Joe Silva are known for their excellent matchmaking, as well as their penchant for responding to the desire of the fans.
I think he makes a convincing case, and following his performance at UFC on Fox 17, he’s also a free agent, which gives him some added leverage in bargaining for a shot at UFC gold. Let’s hear it folks, does Overeem deserve a title shot, or what?
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